Genuine versus fasle affection: what's real and what isn't? “He only gives me a hug goodnight because I complained about how little we touch. But it isn’t real. He’s only doing it because it’s on his list. It doesn’t feel like genuine affection, and I’d rather not have it,” said 36-year-old Marion describing her [...]
The disappointment loop – Shannon’s story Shannon a 40-year-old sales manager sighed deeply as her husband Dario, a 41-year-old robotics engineer, declined her help in the backyard and ignored her when she asked him to cuddle up on the sofa to watch a show in the evening. The disappointment loop kicked in again – [...]
A Relationship with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) bot sounded weird at first, but gradually grew appealing to Stella, a 45-year-old copy reader who was the sole carer for her mother, suffering from dementia. A relationship with an AI bot that looked human, smiled, and asked how Stella was doing, made her feel cared for [...]
Experiencing depression that feels like a heavy weight, covered by a dark cloud Ursula a 25-year-old high school math teacher described this “heavy thing in my gut and chest, that’s always there. I’ve had it ever since I can remember. I can’t have any fun. If I try to rest or have fun, I [...]
The power of touch is profound in romantic relationships. Touch serves a multitude of functions right from the moment of birth. The sensation of skin on skin offers a feeling of safety, security, and calmness that lets you just be, take everything in and grow without having to use up your attention span and [...]
Perimenopausal rage is real, straining and threatening the relationship between partners. Perimenopausal rage is a common symptom on the journey to full menopause, (between 3-4 years), as levels of estrogen drop and propel changes in systems that control dopamine, and serotonin, making women more likely to have mood swings. Stress hormones such as cortisol [...]
Mothering preteens is both exasperating and bitter sweet as your cute kids navigate the world with their own minds and developing bodies. Preteens fluctuate between being clingy and needy to pulling away from a leash that feels both safe yet restrictive. Mothering preteens is awkward, and unstable, shifting mothering duties from care taking to [...]
Making a new you out of the old you in the new year often involves thinking about a fresh version of yourself. Sometimes it’s about shaking off parts of you that you dislike or feel ashamed about. Other times it’s about acquiring a new outlook and becoming your ideal self. Whether you lose or [...]
Hate Being the Bogey Man? Then Give up These Four Things! Being cast as the bogey man is hurtful, crushing and upends your sense of reality. Your self-esteem and sense of value is threatened. Being the bogey man in your romantic relationship can wear you down into a beleaguered timid powerless victim OR make [...]
The Way You Love Your Child is Key to Their Mental Health The way you love your child is the most significant factor in determining his or her mental health. One-third of children between 3-17 years of age in America have at least one mental health problem. So it may be present in your [...]
